Tetris Couldn't Succeed at The Game Awards — A New Category Might Solve This
Whenever a prominent prize-giving event draws close, there’s always an outcry for introducing additional classifications to acknowledge overlooked contributions and fill the passions of enthusiasts dedicated to specific genres.
My colleague previously argued advocating for terror-themed awards. It would be amazing. The same goes for strategy board titles, which is a passionate advocate's mission. However, I must insist if I try to elbow in front since similar to dedicated enthusiasts, I have a cast-iron argument for why my demand stands as crucial above others. The demand is this: There should be a classification for brain-teasing titles.
Categorizing Game Types
Categorizing art by genre defies precise measurement; it’s very subjective, and inevitably generate discussions and end in fuzzy definitions. There’s a reason movie academies don’t do it. But it is a necessary evil for the industry of video games, that demonstrate such variety they barely qualify one unified medium.
For comprehensive acknowledgment of gaming accomplishments to be recognized, and to ensure all game types to have a chance for representation, classification by type becomes crucial.
Existing Game Classification System
Leading game ceremonies currently feature award types recognizing Action, Adventure-action titles, RPG experiences, Combat games, Sim/Strategy, plus athletic and racing experiences. Collectively, these six categories actually cover numerous genres, making space possible accommodating various experiences.
Not so for logic-based experiences. There’s simply nowhere to accommodate them. Think about these recent excellent titles, all very different: building puzzles from a specific release, the pulse-pounding block-matching of another game, and the sweetly sociological logic puzzles from additional release. Which classification works between these six categories? Simply put, no category fits.
Recognition Challenges
There are dozens of brilliant puzzle games published annually that have no home in entertainment awards, if they accidentally match classification types such as Handheld titles, Virtual reality experiences, or the intensely contested small studio competitions.
- An iconic brain-teaser got overlooked in any category that year
- A different innovative game missed out in 2019
- A beloved organization game received no acknowledgment that year
- Limited numbers of brain-teasers managed to sneak into independent or mobile categories
Importance of Logic Titles
Commonly they're compact experiences, however the design of the puzzle game carries substantial weight. Well-known matching games stand as most popular titles globally maintaining this status for over a decade.
The legendary block-stacking game competes with famous sandbox experiences claiming status as best-selling game of all time; it also contends for top gaming experience. Brain-teasers form essential building blocks to the art of video games, and engaging with almost every other genre.
Proposal and Rationale
Brain-teasers wouldn't encounter such difficulty. It would be easy to populate a field of five interesting, varied, worthy titles annually without trouble — actually, with challenge, since numerous excellent numerous deserving experiences.
To emphasize again, these include experiences without proper classification at major gaming awards. Puzzle game makers operate at the demanding boundary of video game design, producing among most fundamental forms within interactive entertainment. Just like cinema stunt performers, they warrant appreciation. Don't make them wait generations.